Download hyperbaric oxygen therapy fact sheet

 HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FACT SHEET
2012
Quotes
“Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment can provide an important weapon in the fight
against numerous disorders.”
Dr. Richard Neubauer1
“Giving more oxygen is not alternative medicine, it is sound science and
common sense. There is no substitute for oxygen.”
Professor Philip B James MB ChB, PhD, DIH, FFOM2
“Hyperbaric medicine has been operating in Russia since 1965. They have
used it widely and have had very dramatic results…they’ve got figures
showing they can detox people in half the time that it takes conventionally.”
Peter McCann, Chairman, HBOT Trust3
Summary
This fact sheet provides a general introduction to the benefits of Hyperbaric
Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and is aimed at people who are interested in
finding out more detail about this remarkable treatment. Considering how
few people know about the benefits of HBOT (even among the medical
community) this fact sheet should be of interest to doctors and health
professionals who are interested in finding new and cost effective forms of
treatment.
Introduction
Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) was first reported in The Lancet in
1887 and is best known for the treatment of deep-sea divers suffering from
the “bends” (decompression sickness)4.
HBOT can be used in the treatment of:
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Diabetes 5
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Cancer 6
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Cardiovascular disease 7
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Liver disease 8
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Brain injury 9
Cerebral palsy 10
Alcohol and drug addiction11.
Anecdotal evidence also shows that HBOT helps to improve the appetite
and those who have had difficulty sleeping. It is also useful in the treatment
of damaged livers and brains of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.
What is HBOT?
"Every time you go up in an aeroplane you are sitting in a hyperbaric
chamber”, explains Professor Philip B. James, a leading British expert.
“Hyperbaric is simply a term describing an increase in ambient pressure. In
an aeroplane the pressure has to increase to compensate for the reduced
pressure at altitude so our bodies can breathe enough oxygen.”
HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) is the medical use of oxygen at a level
higher than atmospheric pressure. Patients go into a pressurised chamber
for an hour and breathe pure oxygen through a mask. The result is a big
increase in oxygen in the bloodstream, the generation of new stem cells and
the natural repair of damaged organs and tissues. The treatment benefits a
wide range of ailments and it also helps to reduce swellings, inflammations
and wounds that have not healed.
Dr Harch12, one of the leading American experts on hyperbaric medicine,
describes HBOT as a “biological therapy”, in other words the increase of
oxygen in the blood enables the body to repair itself. Dr Harch points out that
most ordinary drugs only treat the symptoms of ailments whereas HBOT
enables the natural repair of damaged body tissues, releases stem cells and
“is a DNA signaling drug…that spike of oxygen is turning on the DNA.”
These factors collectively form a very powerful treatment process.
Professor Philip James13 a leading British expert on hyperbaric medicine and
consultant to Castle Craig Hospital, explains why a pressurised chamber is
needed:
“To significantly increase the level of oxygen carried in the blood needs a
pressure chamber. Giving a high level of oxygen for just one hour a day may
promote the repair of tissues when all other medical interventions have
failed. In other words giving more oxygen extends the envelope of natural
recovery.”
Many people wonder why standard oxygen therapy (the application of
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oxygen through a facemask, as commonly used in ambulances and
hospitals) does not have the same effect as HBOT. The experts point out
that in order to benefit from an increase of oxygen in the blood, the air
pressure in the surrounding atmosphere must be higher than normal air
pressure (i.e. the patient needs to go into a pressurised container and then
breathe additional oxygen). Standard oxygen therapy helps improve
breathing but it lacks the therapeutic properties of HBOT.
How Does Oxygen Help the Body?
Oxygen plays a key role in the healing and repairing of damaged cells in our
bodies, but often the flow of oxygen is blocked and the healing process
takes much longer. All cells benefit from exposure to oxygen, for example a
cut on the knee will heal more rapidly if the air is allowed onto it.
Does it Help the Brain?
Years of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse can result in brain damage and a
prematurely aged brain. Initial evidence suggests that HBOT may have a
role in rejuvenating and rebuilding patients’ brains and hence their lives.
A hyperbaric chamber can supply pure oxygen to the brain, stimulating the
production of new blood vessels. New research shows that increased
oxygen flow in the blood can result in the awakening of dormant cells in the
brain and the creation of new ones (neurogenesis).
How Does it Work?
Here is a technical explanation of how it works:
“Oxygen is dissolved in the blood and transported, in combination with
haemoglobin in the red blood cells, throughout the body. This dissolved
oxygen passes into the tissues. Breathing high levels of oxygen under
hyperbaric conditions causes greater uptake of oxygen by the bodily fluids
and so more can reach areas where the circulation is diminished or blocked
and therefore improve recovery. The extra oxygen greatly enhances the
ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria. It also reduces swelling and allows
new blood vessels to grow more rapidly into the affected areas.” (Source:
HBOT Trust14)
What is an HBOT Chamber?
The typical hyperbaric chamber is a hard-shelled structure, rather like a
section of a big metal pipe. They are similar to the hyperbaric chambers
which are used for divers with decompression sickness (the “bends”). Such
chambers can be run at absolute pressures of up to 6 bars, but the usual
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pressure is just 2 bars.
Is it Safe?
"To be in a hyperbaric chamber is to be in the safest place in a hospital as
breathing such a high concentration of oxygen a patient cannot suffer a
stroke or heart attack...It would be difficult to find a patient killed by oxygen
in a year but of course there are plenty of deaths from lack of it."
Professor Philip James, former Emiretus Professor of Medicine at the
University of Dundee
The type of pressure chamber used by the Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment
Trust (HBOTT) is considered so safe that its use was deregulated by an Act
of Parliament in 200815.
At the HBOTT's chamber in Scotland, each session is monitored by several
trained technicians. Visual communication is ensured by video cameras at
either end of the chamber and audio communication is provided by a
microphone/speaker setup.
Over 2.4 million treatment sessions for neurological problems and other
conditions have been carried out in the UK since 1982, at 64 non-profit
centres run by volunteers and patients in the UK. These treatments have
been carried out without a single serious accident.
Contra Indications
There are some rare contra-indications for HBO treatment such as sinus
pain, claustrophobia and myopia16. However, the medical textbook
Hyperbaric Medicine Practice states, "Of all the medical treatments carried
out in hospitals, hyperbaric oxygen treatment is one of the most benign
when it comes to side effects.”17
What are the Benefits of HBOT?
As mentioned above, HBOT can be used as treatment for a wide range of
diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancer and lyme disease. To
see more details about these treatments please visit the research section of
the HBOTT website.
The various benefits of HBOT are still being discovered by medical
researchers. Evidence shows that HBOT curbs infection and promotes the
growth of new capillaries and blood vessels to areas of poor circulation
(particularly useful for those with diabetes). It also boosts collagen formation
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and is very good for the complexion (in the USA, HBOT is used as a beauty
treatment).
HBOT helps clear the body of toxins, and can be a useful component of drug
and alcohol detoxification. Oxygen is the natural antibiotic of the body.
Oxygen controls over 300 genes and increases stem cells. It helps the
damaged bodies of drug and alcohol addicts to recover by speeding up the
healing process.
Creating Stem Cells
The most exciting development in recent years was the discovery by medical
researchers at Pennsylvania University in the USA that HBOT can help the
body increase the production of stem cells. New stem cells can help repair
damaged organs, skin, bones and ligaments and are instrumental in the
healing process.18
How can HBOT Help People with Alcohol and Drug Addiction?
Alcohol and drug abuse can result in the buildup of aldehydes and acids in
the brain. Increasing the absorption of oxygen can reduce the time these
toxic substances remain in the brain. Thus detoxification of the body is
speeded up.
Evidence in Scotland, where HBOT is used to treat addicts in residential
treatment, shows that HBOT helps to:
• Stimulate the appetite (many addicts suffer from eating disorders and
improved eating is an important part of addiction treatment);
• Improve sleep patterns (many addicts have not slept properly in years and
many find sleeping during detox difficult);
• Helps damaged livers and brains (by supplying these organs with a higher
dosage of oxygen, new blood vessels are built and the damage can be
repaired.
What’s the Location of our Chamber?
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment involves sitting in a pressurised chamber and
breathing oxygen through a face mask for a period of one hour. A typical
number of treatment sessions may be 20, one a day, for a period of four
weeks, but some ailments may require more – or less – sessions as each
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individual requires different levels of treatment.
Our chamber is located in a purpose-built building in the extensive (50
acre/20 hectare) grounds of Castle Craig Hospital, located one hour south of
Edinbugh. With 18 seats, it is the biggest hyperbaric oxygen chamber in
Scotland and the only one in UK that is dedicated to the treatment of
alcoholics and drug addicts. Inside, patients can relax, read, write, or watch
films on one of the two flat panel screens that are placed at either end of the
chamber. The increase in air pressure can be felt in the ears (which “pop”)
and patients are given water to drink to help with this. The experience is
similar to ascending in a plane.
What Does the Medical Profession Say About HBOT?
Despite the fact that there is a wealth of HBOT experience from the diving,
aviation and military sectors, the medical establishment in Britain remains
uninformed about HBOT. In addition, oxygen medicine is not taught at
medical school and as a result most GPs are unaware of its benefits. The
official NHS line is that HBOT is a safe treatment but more research is
needed.
The Lancet medical journal does not comment on HBOT as a treatment, but
it has listed a number of articles in various medical journals.19
While the NHS recognises the value of “standard” oxygen therapy, it only
recommends HBOT for the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Unfortunately the NHS does not recommend HBOT as a treatment for all the
other ailments it can help with – but neither does it oppose the treatment by
private clinics.
What’s the View of the HBOT Pioneers?
Professor Philip James, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of
Dundee, frequently challenges the “establishment” position on HBOT:
“Giving more oxygen is not alternative medicine, it is sound science and
commonsense. There is no substitute for oxygen and hyperbaric medicine
must be included in the core curriculum of our medical schools.
“It is necessary to have distrust of the miraculous in medicine, especially
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when, for example, claims are made for drugs whose pharmacology and
benefit have not been scientifically established. Although oxygen hardly falls
into this category as no one seriously denies its importance to life, it is
surprising that using a simple enclosure to allow the delivery of high level of
oxygen to relieve an acute deficiency is still regarded by some physicians as
quackery.”
Professor James goes on to address the other arguments against the
establishment view of oxygen therapy:
“They commonly argue that as blood is virtually saturated with oxygen
breathing air, no more can be carried, but the saturation referred to is of
haemoglobin not plasma and the haemoglobin value can be 100% when the
brain is dying from hypoxia. In fact, there is actually no limit to the amount of
oxygen which can be carried in plasma and, at three times atmospheric
pressure, sufficient can be dissolved to support life without the presence of
haemoglobin…The arguments against oxygen treatment must be met toxicity is easily dealt with - because the dose time limits of hyperbaric
oxygen treatment are very well established and include data from millions of
man hours of pure oxygen breathing in military diving. So are the minor
barometric problems, such as clearing the middle ear.”
For those interested in learning more from Professor James we suggest you
visit YouTube where you can find a series of 6 lectures by him.
Contact Details
Please contact us if you would like more information about HBOT:
Manager of the HBOT unit: Max Volino PhD
Contact phone number: +44 (0)75 012 54918 and +44 (0)1721 722 763
Fax: +44 (0)1721 752662
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/index.php
We would particularly recommend that you look at the Hyperbaric Oxygen
Treatment Trust website www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk, one of the
most comprehensive information sources online.
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References
1 www.oceanhbo.com 2 http://www.ihausa.org/docs/james.html 3 http://www.inexcess.tv/?p=9948&v=1 4https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.
uk/resources/docs/RCT_Li._The_monoplace_hyperbaric_chamber_and_managem
ent_of_decompression_illness..pdf 5 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8941460 6https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.
uk/resources/docs/Hyperoxia_increases_the_uptake_of_5fluorouracil_in_mammary__tumors_independently_of_changes_in_interstitial_flui
d_pressure_and__tumor_stroma_.pdf 7 http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/article-hyperbaric-oxygen-andyour-heart-73 8 http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17359188
9https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.
uk/resources/docs/Harch__Post_Traumatic_Brain_Disorder_and_hyperbaric_oxygen_treatment.pdf 10 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11558483 11 http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/article-research-and-guidance4#Alcohol%20and%20Drug%20Addiction 12 http://www.hbot.com/about-practice 13 http://www.ihausa.org/docs/james.html 14 http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/article-faqs-5#3 15http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations
/Liveconsultations/DH_083519 16 http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/article-faqs-5#8 17http://www.hyperbaricmedicine.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=8
3&idcategory=2 18 http://www.hyperbaricoxygentherapy.org.uk/article-stem-cell-mobilizationby-hyperbaric-oxygen-57 19http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?searchTerm=HBOT&fieldName=AllFi
elds&op=&searchterm2=&fieldname2=&year=&volume=&page=&jrnl=&artypes
=&journalFromWhichSearchStarted=lancet&sort=date&order=desc&collectionNa
me=Medline 8